Sensing coil assemblies are necessary in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) apparatus to produce an image. Such sensing coil assemblies may be placed around a body part of the patient to be imaged, such as an arm or leg. Frequently, a significant void or empty region occurs between the coil and the body part to be imaged as well as between the coil and the inner surfaces of the magnet when the body part is placed within the magnet. Technicians will frequently fill those voids with loose pieces of foam or other available material to position the coil about the portion of the patient to be imaged as well as to position the coil between the poles of the magnet. Accordingly, the technicians first pack loose foam between the section of the body to be imaged and the coil. Then the technician will place the foam packed coil and section of the body within a gap between two poles of the magnet. The area between the coil and the magnet poles is then packed with more foam until the desired position is achieved. The technician will then take a quick image to ensure that the body section and coil are properly positioned. If the image is not clear, the entire procedure is repeated until the body section and coil are properly positioned within the magnet gap.
Notwithstanding the use of loose pieces of foam to help position the coil, there are still major problems involved. Patients frequently unintentionally move during the imaging process. This accidental movement causes the patient to move from the preferred imaging position, resulting in an unacceptable image.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a positioning device for an NMRI sensing coil assembly that properly positions the body part of the patient to be imaged within the coil and properly positions the coil between the poles of the magnet, while simultaneously preventing the patient from accidentally moving the body part during the NMRI process.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an inflatable NMRI sensing coil positioning device that requires fewer parts and, thus, is smaller and easier to manufacture. It is still a further object of the present invention that the inflatable NMRI sensing coil positioning device be simple and cost efficient to manufacture, yet be reliable and efficient in use.